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Haastrup and Dinwiddie hoping for breakthroughs at Saint-Omer Open

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Mark Haastrup and Robert Dinwiddie hoping for breakthroughs at Saint-Omer Open

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LUMBRES, France -- Denmark's Mark Haastrup is targeting another strong performance at the Saint-Omer Open after a top-three finish in Portugal last we

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Mark Haastrup realizes he has a great chance to win an event.

PA Sport

LUMBRES, France -- Denmark's Mark Haastrup is targeting another strong performance at the Saint-Omer Open after a top-three finish in Portugal last weekend.

The former collegiate player at Georgia State in the United States, who turned professional three years ago, is still awaiting his big breakthrough. However, by finishing third at the Estoril Portugal Open, behind winner and countryman Thomas Bjorn, the 26-year-old showed he can compete on the European Tour.

The field was not the strongest in Portugal and it is weaker still this week, as the focus of most of the golfing world will be on the U.S. Open.

Haastrup realizes he and the rest of the players in France, where the field is split between players from the European Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour, have a great chance to win an event.

"It's a great event for players like me who don't get into some of the bigger events on the European Tour, because it gives us a good chance of a high finish,” he said. "With the form I'm in, I'm confident of playing well. But then again in the weeks leading up to Portugal I hadn't been playing well, so it's important not to get too far ahead of myself."

Challenge Tour No. 1 Robert Dinwiddie is also eyeing victory and aiming to strike a blow for the players on the second-tier tour.

"It's a big week for the Challenge Tour boys -- if you look at the prize money on offer, it is the tournament that stands out because the money is so high compared to a normal Challenge Tour event,” he said. "Obviously you want to win there, but for me even a top-four finish could give me enough money to win my place back on the European Tour."

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PA Sport

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Published: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 | 3:31 p.m.

LUMBRES, France -- Denmark's Mark Haastrup is targeting another strong performance at the Saint-Omer Open after a top-three finish in Portugal last weekend.

The former collegiate player at Georgia State in the United States, who turned professional three years ago, is still awaiting his big breakthrough. However, by finishing third at the Estoril Portugal Open, behind winner and countryman Thomas Bjorn, the 26-year-old showed he can compete on the European Tour.

The field was not the strongest in Portugal and it is weaker still this week, as the focus of most of the golfing world will be on the U.S. Open.

Haastrup realizes he and the rest of the players in France, where the field is split between players from the European Tour and the developmental Challenge Tour, have a great chance to win an event.

"It's a great event for players like me who don't get into some of the bigger events on the European Tour, because it gives us a good chance of a high finish,” he said. "With the form I'm in, I'm confident of playing well. But then again in the weeks leading up to Portugal I hadn't been playing well, so it's important not to get too far ahead of myself."

Challenge Tour No. 1 Robert Dinwiddie is also eyeing victory and aiming to strike a blow for the players on the second-tier tour.

"It's a big week for the Challenge Tour boys -- if you look at the prize money on offer, it is the tournament that stands out because the money is so high compared to a normal Challenge Tour event,” he said. "Obviously you want to win there, but for me even a top-four finish could give me enough money to win my place back on the European Tour."